Privacy Policy - Surrey Man And Van

Surrey Man And Van is committed to protecting the privacy and personal data of all customers and prospective customers in Surrey and the surrounding area. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, share, and protect personal data in a way that is consistent with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018.

This policy applies to all Surrey Man And Van customers in the area, including individuals who enquire about our services, request quotations, make bookings, receive removals or transport services, or otherwise interact with us in connection with our business.

1. Who We Are

For the purpose of data protection law, Surrey Man And Van acts as the data controller in relation to the personal data we collect and process about customers, suppliers, and individuals who contact us. This means we determine the purposes and methods of processing personal data in connection with our services.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We only collect personal data that is necessary for the provision, management, and administration of our services. The types of personal data we may collect include:

Identity data such as your name and title;
Contact data such as your address, telephone number, and email address;
Service details such as property addresses, moving dates, access requirements, item lists, and service instructions;
Payment data such as limited billing details, payment confirmation, and transaction records;
Communication data such as correspondence, enquiries, complaints, and feedback;
Technical data such as basic information gathered when you communicate with us electronically, where applicable;
Special instructions you choose to provide relating to fragile, valuable, or sensitive items.

We do not intentionally collect unnecessary or excessive data. Where we request information that is optional, we will make that clear at the time of collection.

3. How We Use Personal Data

We use personal data for legitimate business purposes connected with our services. These include:

responding to enquiries and providing quotations;
arranging and delivering removals, collections, and transport services;
coordinating logistics, scheduling, and customer support;
issuing invoices, processing payments, and maintaining accounts;
managing complaints, claims, and service issues;
meeting legal, regulatory, accounting, and insurance obligations;
improving our services, processes, and customer experience;
preventing fraud, misuse, or unlawful activity;
maintaining business records and evidence of services provided.

We will only process personal data where we have a lawful basis to do so.

4. Lawful Basis for Processing

Under UK GDPR, we must have a lawful basis for processing your personal data. Surrey Man And Van relies on the following lawful bases where appropriate:

Contract

We process personal data when it is necessary to enter into or perform a contract with you. This includes providing quotations, arranging bookings, completing removals, and handling payment or service administration.

Legal obligation

We may process personal data when required to comply with legal duties, including tax, accounting, insurance, transport-related, or record-keeping requirements.

Legitimate interests

We may process personal data for our legitimate business interests, provided your rights and interests do not override those interests. This may include managing customer relationships, improving our services, maintaining security, and defending legal claims.

Consent

Where required by law, we will rely on your consent. If consent is used, you may withdraw it at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

We do not rely on consent where another lawful basis is more appropriate and legally valid.

5. Sharing Personal Data and Processors

We may share personal data with trusted third parties when necessary to operate our business and deliver our services. These third parties may act as processors or, in some cases, as independent controllers.

Examples of processors and service providers may include:

payment processing providers;
accounting and bookkeeping service providers;
IT and cloud storage providers;
email, communications, and administrative platforms;
professional advisers such as legal or insurance advisers;
subcontractors or operational partners involved in delivering a booked service.

Where a third party acts as a processor, it processes data on our instructions and is required to protect personal data and use it only for the agreed purpose. We ensure appropriate contractual safeguards are in place where required.

We may also disclose personal data where necessary to comply with the law, respond to lawful requests from public authorities, or establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, and to meet legal, accounting, insurance, and operational requirements.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of data and the reason it is held. In general:

customer and booking records are retained for a period necessary for business administration and dispute resolution;
financial and tax-related records are retained in line with legal obligations;
correspondence and complaint records are kept for a reasonable period to manage customer service and legal risk;
data no longer required is securely deleted, anonymised, or archived where appropriate.

When assessing retention, we consider the nature, sensitivity, and volume of the data, the potential risk from unauthorised use or disclosure, and the legal requirements that apply.

7. Data Security

We take reasonable and appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against accidental loss, unauthorised access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure. These measures may include access controls, secure storage, staff awareness, and limiting access to data on a need-to-know basis.

Although we work to protect all personal data, no system can be guaranteed to be completely secure. If a data incident occurs that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will handle it in accordance with applicable law.

8. International Transfers

Where any processor or service provider stores or processes data outside the United Kingdom, we will ensure that suitable safeguards are in place to protect your personal data. These safeguards may include adequacy decisions, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms recognised under UK GDPR.

9. Your Rights

Under data protection law, you may have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

Right of access - to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
Right to rectification - to ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data;
Right to erasure - to request deletion of your data in certain circumstances;
Right to restriction - to ask us to limit how we use your data in certain situations;
Right to data portability - to receive certain data in a structured, commonly used format where applicable;
Right to object - to object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing;
Right to withdraw consent - where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time;
Right to complain - to raise concerns with the relevant supervisory authority if you believe your data has been misused.

These rights are not absolute and may be subject to legal exceptions or conditions. We will respond to valid requests in accordance with the law.

10. How We Handle Sensitive Situations

On occasion, customers may share personal details relating to vulnerable circumstances, access needs, or particularly sensitive belongings. We treat such information with care and only use it where necessary to deliver the requested service or meet legal obligations. We encourage customers to provide only the information needed for the job.

11. Children’s Data

Our services are not directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children except where it is necessary in connection with a household booking or where provided by an adult customer acting on their behalf. If we become aware that we have collected data unlawfully or without appropriate authority, we will take steps to delete it.

12. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in law, guidance, or our business practices. The most current version will apply from the date it is published or otherwise made available. We encourage customers to review this policy periodically.

13. Summary of Key Principles

In summary, Surrey Man And Van processes personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently. We collect only what is necessary, use it for clear business purposes, store it securely, and keep it only for as long as needed. We also respect your rights and ensure that any processors we use are subject to suitable privacy safeguards.

This Privacy Policy applies to all Surrey Man And Van customers in the area. By using our services or making an enquiry, you acknowledge that your personal data may be processed in accordance with this policy and applicable data protection law.

We are committed to handling your information responsibly, respectfully, and in line with GDPR requirements.